Sammy vows to defend PSL title in Karachi

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The skipper of the Peshawar Zalmi, Darren Sammy has said the charged atmosphere in Lahore, at the PSL final last year, is still fresh in his memory and he is looking forward to lifting the cup for second time around as well.

“We are not underestimating any team but I have made it clear to all the players that Zalmi would be unstoppable if we play our brand of cricket”, Sammy said in a video message prior to his departure in Dubai, for the third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The third edition of the PSL will commence from February 22nd with an encounter between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans in Dubai.

Peshawar Zalmi won the last edition of the PSL by beating Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

“The scenes at the Gaddafi stadium are still fresh in my memory. I along with other team mates still cherish our part to bring back international cricket to Pakistan”, Sammy said

“People of Pakistan love me and I love them as well”, Sammy concluded

@mak_asif

Sultans upbeat to make a mark in PSL

Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The new entrant to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Multan Sultans are fresh but upbeat to uproot the formidable outfits in the third edition of the competition.

In an informal interaction with journalists here on Friday, the Managing Director of Multan Sultans, Khizer Schon shared the idea behind acquiring the most expensive outfit in the Pakistan Super League.

“The passion for cricket in Multan is unmatched and this is one of the reasons of buying this name. We have recently witnessed the enthusiasm, when record number of people turned up to watch an exhibition game,” Schon said

“That was the biggest gathering in the history of the city”, Schon added

The MD said that the team is obviously new but had players to create impact from the onset.

“Under Wasim Akram, Sultans assembled a combination which can rattle any opposition. We are not here to just make our presence felt but to win the cup eventually”, Schon lightheartedly said

Highlighting their strategy for the region, Khizer Schon said it is a long-term roadmap which includes game development at every level.

“To begin with we will scout players from the area. Our focus will be on younger players to comprise junior outfits of Multan Sultans”, Schon said

“We also look forward to assembling women teams by holding events amongst local universities”, the MD said

In the end the Multan Sultans MD shared good news about their foreign players who, he said, are ready to tour Pakistan, if there team qualify for the final games.

@mak_asif

Hockey World XI Aims to Revive the National Sport of Pakistan

Karachi – Pakistan Hockey Federation has announced a World XI hockey team tour to Pakistan, comprising stars from hockey’s top nations. The two match series will be taken place in Karachi and Lahore on January 19 and 21 respectively. Globally recognized players from Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Argentina, China, New Zealand and Belgium will be touring Pakistan for a four day visit in a bid to revive international hockey in Pakistan.

Philip Meulenbroek

Hockey is our national sport but has seen little progress in the sport as a whole and has seen no matches in recent years. From the glory days where Hockey was the main sport of Pakistan and produced some of the most coveted names like Sohail Abbas, the Hockey World XI tour aims to revive Hockey in the country with league matches to follow up later. Pakistan Hockey Federation’s president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said, “The foreign team, which is a blend of world’s renowned hockey players, will be arriving Karachi and will play its first match at Abdul Sattar Edhi Stadium on January 19. Karachi’s match will be played under lights and the match at Lahore will be a day affair.”

The foreign team includes Kylie , David Alegre, Juan Escarre, Santi Freixa of Spain, Agustin Burgallo, Diego Paz, Roc Oliva of Argentina, Hidde Turkstra, Philip Muelenbroek, Roderick Weusthof, Rob Reckers, Matthijs Brouwer, Rob Lathouwers, Floris Bovelander of Netherlands, Benjamin Wess, Christian Blunck, Justus Scharowsky of Germany, Phil Burrows, Kyle Pontifex of New Zealand, and Grant Shubert.

Grant Schubert

A special function will also be held in Karachi to honor foreign and home players with their induction in the Hall of Fame. Talking about the event Mr. Khokhar said, “The prime objective of induction of players in ‘hall of fame’ is to develop a new culture in Pakistan hockey and to give recognition to those foreign and home players, who excelled in the game at the highest level,” he said adding, “it will be a big step forward to motivate the youth to take up hockey as a sport and to revive the game in Pakistan.”

PHF is hopeful that with friendly matches like these and the arrival of hockey players from all around the world, it will help bring back international hockey to Pakistan. And most importantly will instill confidence and hope in our national hockey players which right now is the need of the hour.

Pakistan Don’t Need to Beg India to Play Cricket: Javed Miandad

Karachi: Ex Pakistan’s captain and legend batsman Javed Miandad has called on Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to forget about playing India in the near future and instead focus on improving the game’s structure.

“They don’t want to play with us so be it. Our cricket will not die if we don’t play with India. We should move on and forget about them,” Miandad told the media at a function in Karachi.
The veteran of 124 Tests said there was no need for the PCB to “beg” the BCCI for bilateral matches.

“They haven’t played against us since the last 10 years, so what? Has our cricket gone down? no we have done well. The Champions Trophy win is an example. Cricket cannot die in Pakistan. We have also survived without international cricket at home since 2009,” he pointed out.

India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since 2012 owing to political tensions between the two countries after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The former captain urged the PCB to manage its finances better.

“Today the PCB is financially stable but there is a need for proper accountability of where the money that comes from the ICC is spent.

“There is a need to reduce the administrative expenses of the board and get rid this army of advisors, consultants and employees. The PCB can easily function without paying such heavy salaries to an over-sized staff,” he said.

Campaign “RUN FOR HEALTHY LIFE” Launches by Novo Nordisk against Obesity and Diabetes

Karachi – Pakistan is ranked as 9th most obese country in the world, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study

published in The Lancet<http://www.thelancet.com/&gt; medical journal.

26 November 2017: Pakistan is the 08th most obese country in the world, however there are very limited entities working to address this concern,  which is leading to diabetes and other serious diseases, putting our younger generation at risk. The facts were shared at a Press Conference in Lahore, marking the launch of “Run for Healthy Life”- a public awareness campaign by Novo Nordisk Pakistan and South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies (SAFES).

The campaign is launched as a part of the broader initiative of “Changing Diabetes®”  by Novo Nordisk Pakistan,  under which the organization has joined hands with SAFES , comprising of Endocrine societies from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sir Lanka, to create awareness about obesity, one of the most important risk factors of diabetes. The partners of this campaign aim to prevent the increasing prevalence of obesity by reaching out to schools and broadly to younger generation and conducting awareness sessions on changing lifestyles and increase physical activities, especially running.

Sharing his thoughts at the launch ceremony, General Manager Novo Nordisk Pakistan, Mr. Rashed Rafique said “Reaching to the roots of a disease is important to prevent its increase; obesity is one of the roots of diabetes. Therefore, we are very optimistic that this campaign will not only assist in preventing obesity but also diabetes and other diseases associated with obesity.”

Speaking at the occasion, President SAFES Dr. Abbas Raza said, “As experts in the field of diabetes, SAFES considers it as its prime responsibility to work for awareness that obesity and diabetes is preventable, all we need is regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Following these simple measures, we can save our future generation from the risk of serious diseases”

At the occasion, a special logo was unveiled for the ‘Run for Healthy Life’ campaign. The ceremony was attended by renowned diabetes and endocrine specialists from across South Asia, namely from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sir Lanka, the management of Novo Nordisk, and friends from media.

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About Novo Nordisk:

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,400 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries. For more information, www.novonordisk.com<http://www.novonordisk.com&gt;

Olympics history- Pakistan’s Boxing Triumph

BY RAFIA ZAKARIA 

In September 1988, Pakistan sent a boxer named Hussain Shah to the Olympics in Seoul. Barely literate and living in a shanty in Lyari, one of Karachi’s most fetid slums, he was not expected to win. He had been practicing his sport in dimly lit clubs with naked light bulbs, and lacked high-tech or even new equipment. Shah had shown promise, winning the gold in the South Asian games at the age of 23 the year before. But the Olympics were a different prospect. The event brings athletes from rich countries, who have entire teams of coaches and the very best gear—a difficult set of opponents to go up against.

The semi-final round of the middle-weight boxing division was held on September 29, 1988. Shah beat boxers from Mexico and Hungary on his way there. For this match, he was up against Canadian Egerton Marcus, both men achingly close to glory. Shah fought hard but he did not win that fight. He did however win his matchup for the bronze medal. For millions of Pakistanis, including kids like me, it was a moment of near unprecedented glory. For the first time since 1960, a Pakistani athlete made it to the medal podium in an individual sport. When Shah returned to Karachi following the games, a near homeless man from a slum had become a national hero.

While boxing enjoyed a brief renaissance following Shah’s 1988 win, it suffers from a lack of resources, like most other sports in Pakistan. The great Muhammad Ali is a hero here, followed by Hussain Shah himself. Last year saw the first Women’s Boxing Coaching Camp, an official attempt to teach Pakistani women how to fight. In a small building still under construction, thirteen girls, some as young as nine and twelve years old learned how to bob and weave.

In the Rio Olympics this year, Pakistani kids will watch for that fleeting moment when their flag and their delegation appears on the screen during the opening ceremony. Pakistan is sending one of the smallest delegations ever this year, but it does include Shah Hussain Shah, the son of boxer Hussain Shah, who will be the first Pakistani to compete in Judo. He is not expected to win, but then neither was his father.

Rafia Zakaria is an attorney, a political philosopher and the author of The Upstairs Wife: An Intimate History of Pakistan.

@rafiazakaria

Courtesy newrepublic.com

Cricket World lost the original little Master “Hanif Mohammad”

Hanif Mohammad

Karachi: Hanif Mohammad, the original ‘Little Master’ who played the longest innings in Test cricket, has died at the age of 81. He had been undergoing treatment for respiratory complications from his lung cancer in Karachi’s Aga Khan hospital. Late on August 8, he was shifted to the ICU and placed on a ventilator. Hanif was diagnosed with the cancer in 2013, for which he received treatment in London.

Hanif played 55 Tests, including Pakistan’s first. Imtiaz Ahmed, 88, and Waqar Hasan, 83, are the only two survivors from that team. Hanif was renowned for his immaculate defensive technique. He scored 3915 runs at an average of 43.98. His best was an epic 337 as Pakistan saved the Barbados Test in 1958 while following on. It was the longest first-class innings then. At 970 minutes, it is still the longest Test innings.

Hanif also held the record for the highest first-class score, 499 which he made for Karachi against Bahawalpur in 1959. The record stood for 35 years before Brian Lara surpassed the record by scoring 501 for Warwickshire against Durham.

Hanif was born in Junagadh in the Indian state of Gujarat. He and his four brothers moved to Pakistan after partition; four of the five brothers played Tests while Raees, the fifth, was a 12th man once. At least one of the Mohammad brothers played in Pakistan’s first 101 Tests. Hanif’s son Shoaib played 45 Tests and grandson Shehzar 30 first-class matches. In 2010, a Cricinfo jury chose Hanif as the opener alongside Saeed Anwar in the all-time Pakistan Test XI.

After retiring as an international cricketer, Hanif co-founded the magazine The Cricketer Pakistan in 1972, which he edited for two decades. He also served as the manager of the formidable Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) team, which won the domestic one-day tournament, Wills Cup, three years in a row in the 1980s.

ICC’s chief executive David Richardson paid tribute to Hanif, pointing to the impact that his triple-century against West Indies had. “It’s sad to hear of Hanif’s death and I’d like to extend my condolences and those of everyone here at the ICC to Hanif’s family, which counts so many cricketers in its number,” Richardson said in a press statement. “Hanif took batting to great heights and many batsmen drew inspiration from him.

“His contribution to the game has been enormous and one can only imagine the kind of impact his batting had on others over the years. Hanif’s triple-century against the West Indies was a legendary innings and unsurprisingly he was one of the original inductees into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.”

 

Pakistan Cricket Great Hanif Mohammad Battling For Life

Hanif Mohammad, regarded as one of the greatest batsman in the world, was admitted to hospital late last month due to respiratory problems

Karachi: Former Pakistan captain Hanif Mohammad is battling for his life after being put on a ventilator at the Aga Khan hospital in Karachi.

Admitted to the hospital since late last month due to respiratory problems, his son, Test player, Shoaib Mohammad said his father’s condition had deteriorated since Sunday.

“He is now on a ventilator and in intensive care unit,” Shoaib said.

“He is facing respiratory complications due to his lung cancer,” he added.

Hanif, 81, known as the little master for his batting skills was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and went to London for surgery and treatment, and returned home well. But Shoaib said the cancer had spread with time.

Hanif was a member of Pakistan’s first touring Test squad that went to India in 1954-55 and went on to play 55 Tests scoring a memorable 337 runs against the West Indies in 1957-58.

It remains the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years).

Public response to Amir “good so far”

PCB staff also doubly vigilant

By  Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI, PAKISTAN 4th July 2016: It was expected that on this England tour, Pakistan fast bowler Muhammad Amir would be facing adverse reception from the local crowd, however, a source within Pakistan camp, revealed that so far the young pace-man had been enjoying good response from the general public. “So far so good, he [Amir] has not been booed by the general public yet as was expected before embarking on this trip”, said the source

“In fact the general public has been very friendly with Amir so far”, added the source

Muhammad Amir is touring England for the first time after the notorious spot-fixing scandal of 2010 when he, along with Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif, was caught for his involvement in spot-fixing during a Test match, between Pakistan and England, at the Lord’s.

Muhammad Amir was slapped with a 5-year suspension and now he is all set to resume his Test career at the Lord’s – the same venue where he played his last test – from July 14^th.

Moreover, the source also revealed about the vigilance from the PCB staff and said that Amir’s recent interview with Michael Atherton was intercepted a number of times. “Yes, the PCB staff has been keeping a strict eye on Muhammad Amir. Even during the recent interview with Michael Atherton the proceedings were interrupted a number of times by a PCB representative present there”, the source revealed

 

 

The writer is a Pakistani sports journalist & tweets @mak_asif

PSL Franchise must clear Dues or Sell Shares before 31st July, PCB

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given a deadline of July 31 to a franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to clear its dues or face the ignominy of having its shares sold out before the second edition.

During the meeting of the PSL governing council in Lahore this week it emerged that a franchise, which reached the semi-finals of the first edition in February, had failed to submit its guarantee amount to the board.

“The owners have now been given a deadline of July 31 to submit the guarantee money or their shares will be put up for sale to recover the money,” one PSL council source said.

Najam Sethi, who heads the PSL governing council, announced that interest in the league had gone beyond expectations and efforts were being made to include more high profile foreign players in the second edition.

“We have managed to contract Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan for the second edition and they are proven international stars who will not only bring vast international experience but a wealth of invaluable leadership experience to the PSL,” Sethi said.

“While we have announced only these two names there are at least a dozen additional top-level signings that will be revealed in the coming days.”

Sethi promised at the governing council meeting that the second edition of the PSL in February 2017 would be bigger and better.

He said efforts would be made to have the PSL final either at Lahore or Karachi and much would depend on the foreign signings.

In the first edition Shane Watson, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kevin Pietersen, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib ul Hasan were among the top foreign signings.

It was also announced after the council meeting that the Karachi, Lahore and Quetta franchises had agreed to invest and get involved in their respective regions in domestic cricket.

PTI